Respiratory Ailments from Exposure to Asbestos Vermiculite

Vermiculite ores often contain a range of other minerals including, in some cases, asbestos.  Exposure to asbestos is known to cause respiratory ailments and serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and asbestosis.

Asbestos is not a major contaminant, and only a few ore deposits have been found to contain more than trace amounts of asbestos minerals.

However, exposure to airborne asbestos particles has been linked to respiratory ailments, including asbestos-related lung cancer.

The EPA is concerned about the increased risk to consumers and workers from use of asbestos-contaminated vermiculite products.